Four children from indigent families received life-saving heart procedures on September 2, giving them a chance at healthier and fuller lives despite being born with congenital heart disease (CHD).
At De Los Santos Medical Center, the young patients underwent PDA Device Closure procedures through the Rotary Club of Makati West’s (RCMW) Gift of Life (GOL) Program. The procedures came at a critical point for families who might otherwise struggle to afford the specialized care their children need.
CHD remains one of the leading causes of death among children in the Philippines. According to the RCMW, one in four children born with serious heart defects, including holes in the heart, die because they cannot access timely and proper medical care.
The need for treatment led the late RCMW Past President Lou del Rosario to launch a partnership with Gift of Life International Foundation in 2004. What began as an effort to help children with serious heart conditions has since become the club’s flagship humanitarian program.
Now on its 22nd year, the program has facilitated 2,296 heart surgeries in partner hospitals across Manila, all provided to indigent patients from infancy through age 18.
Since the start of the current Rotary Year on July 1, 2026, another 58 procedures have already been completed. The four children treated on September 2 are among them.
Behind every procedure is a family that gets more time with a child who can grow, play, learn and dream without a heart condition defining what comes next.
The work also shows what sustained community action can accomplish. One partnership that began more than two decades ago continues to give children access to care that their families might otherwise never afford.
The four children treated this week are now on their way to healthier lives, thanks to people who chose to step in and help. Their story is a reminder that when communities come together, a child’s chance at a healthier future can look very different.
